Attachment for automobiles.



F. R. NYBERG.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION HLED AUG. 11. 1914.

Patnted Apr. 6, 1915.

Z SHEETS-11113! 1.

INVENTOR A T TORNEYS F. R; NYBERG; ATTACHMENT FOR Al.l T0IVI( )Bl-UE S. APPLICATION mto AUG. n', 19 14.

Patelited A r. 6, 19m

I m n/avroR I By {FAAMTA UNTTED straws PATENT OFFICE.

min: mmonrn masses, OF'LAMAR, coLonAno, nssrenon or ONE-HALF 'ro GEORGE J. ennvm, or LAMAR, cononnno.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed August 11, 1914. Serial No. 856,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK R. Nrennc, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lamar, in the county of 'Prowers and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful- Improvement in Attachments for QAutomobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in at- .c tachments for automobiles, designed tovbe attached to the wheels, and wherein a housing is provided capable of attachmentto and removalfrom the wheels and carrying a series of dogs arranged in spaced relation and mounted for movement beyond the periphery of the wheel and normally lying within the periphery of the wheel, and wherein other mechaniru is pro'vided'in connection "with the do s for extending the dog's st redetermined times.

the drawings:Figure 1 is a vertical section through a wheel provided with the 1 improved attachment, Fig. 2 is a side View of the attachment from the inner side, Fig.

3 is a similar View from the outer side, F ig.

' 4-ie a perspective view of the connecting ring, Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of 13g; '1', looking inv the direction of the arrows adjacent-to the line, and Fig. 6 Is an enlarged sectional view of a modified arran ement. v

i T e present-embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a wheel of ordinary construction, comprising a felly 1 3 supporting a rim 2 for carrying a tile 3,

and the felly .is connected to-the hub (not shown) by means of spokes 4. The attachment comprises a casing or housing adapted to engage one side of the wheel and a holding ring adapted'toengage the other side,

together with other mechanism for connecting the housing to the'ring, and arranged I transversely of the wheel.

The housing consists of a disk 5, havingm. lateral'marginal flangeG, and the flange is provided with an inwardly extending Web 7 at. approximately right angles to the flange Band approximately parallel to the disk 5, and the web is" provided with a laterally 5 extending rib 8 forengaging the spokes of I the wheel. The housing 567--8 is an integral structure, having a diameter somewhat less than the over-all diameter of the wheel.

:6 The peripheral-surface ofthe flange 7 is slightly beyond therim 2-when the attachment is in place, and the rib 8 is designed to fit within the felly 1, with its outer face abutting the inner. surface of the folly between the spokes. Theedge of the rib remote from the disk 5 is provided with notches or recesses 9 for receiving the spokes 4, and the notches 9 are-of such depth that the web 7 will be spaced slightly outward from the adjacent edge of the rim 2. v

The disk 5 is slightly concavo-convex, the convex surface being remote from the Wheel, and the said disk is provided with an annu-' lar series of openings locoaxial with the Wheel, for the sake of lightness and to perby connecting bars 12, the said bars in the 75.

girelsent instance being integral with both s s. The inner face of the disk 5 is provided with an annular series of pairs of laterally spaced lugs l3, each pair of lugs bein between a pair of bars 12. One end of alever 14 is received between each pair of lugs, and pivoted thereto as indicated at 15, and the levers extend laterally from the disk 5 in wardly beyond the disk 11, and the free end 'of each lever is provided with a weight 16, in the form of aball in the present instance. The disk 11 limits the inward movement of the balls, and each lever and the ball connected therewith is normally pressed tomeans of the nuts 21 the tension of the sprin s 17 may be varied.

Ho ding dogs 22 are mounted to slid radially of the housing 5-67-,8, and the flange 6 of the housing is provided with an opening 23 for the outer end of each dog. Each of the dogs 22 is X or cross shape in cross section, and the openin s 23 for the dogs are similarly she ed. hat ortion of each dog per endicu ar to the p aim of the wheel'- is en arged at its outer end to form a. head 24, and the head is we large 5."

slot to connect the do s to the adjacent lever 14:. The body or each clip extends through the slot 26, and the arms of the clip engage opposite faces of the lever, and are pivoted thereto as indicated at 28.

A coil spring 29 encircles the reduced portion of each dog between the body thereof and a stop or washer 30, encircling the reduced portion, and each spring normally acts to force the clip 27 inwardly, that is,

to retain the clip at the inner end of the ,tion 35 has a U-shaped clip 14, secured thereto, and a latch plate &5 is connected to slot The inward movement of the washer is limited by its engagement with the body of the adjacent clip 27.

The dogs are guided in their radial movement by pairs of lugs. 31. The lugs are struck up from the inner edge of a ring 32,

arranged between the disk 11 and the flange f;

6 the housing, and the ring is held in fixed position by means of plates. 33. The plates 33 rigidly connected at their'iir ner ends to the ring 3.4 and the outer end of each plate is offset inwardly toward the wheel, and rigidly connected to the Web 7.

'Thus the ring is supported in spaced relation withrespect t5 the web., 7 and with re spect to the disk 11.

The outer end of each of the portions of each dog is beveled in oppositedirections to form a point for permitting the dog to easily enter the surface of thejroad over Whichthe car is passing, and the outer edge.

of the ring 32 is bea ded as shown at 3-l around a reinforcing Wire or rod 3?.

The attachment is secured to the wheel by means of the ring shown more particularly in Fig. 4, and bolts which are connected with the plates 38 before mentioned. The ring 35 35 is arranged on. the oppos site side of the wheel from the housing with one face thereof'abutting the adjacent side 01 the telly 1. The ring is of such external diameter that the periphery thereof will be just within the rim Qand the inner edge thereof is provided with bayonet slots 36.

The bolts 37 are pivoted to the plates 38 by means of lat-shaped clips 38. The body of each of the clips engages the, eye of the bolt, and the arms are passed through openings in the adjacent plate 33, and are enby nuts 39 on the opposite face of te. The free ends-of the bolts are i with the bayonet slots 36 of the Wing nuts to are threaded on halts to hold the parts in place. use, the attachment is arranged as within the received in rib 8 the notches 9. The wing nuts 40 are loosened on the eye bolts 37, and the said bolts are engaged with'the'bayonet slots 36. The nuts 40 are then tightened and the attach.- mentis firmly connected to the wheel. The ring 35 is sectional in order that it may be placed without requiring the removal the wheels from the axle. This ring is on the inner side of the wheel, and it is obvious 'that. were the ring a continuous ring the the section 35* at the said end.

- The sections are separated to permit the ring to be placed on the Wheel by pulling -'the latch plate outof the clip or socket 4'1 After the ring has been placed around the axle the plate 45 is pushed into the socks 1, the eye bolts are engaged with the bayonet slots and the nuts t0 are tightened.

In operation, when the wheel is in place, under ordinary conditions the dogs will not extend beyond the tread of the tire, that is, beyond the periphery of the wheel consid ered as a whole. The springs 17 are ad justed to hold the dogs within the periphery of the wheel until the wheel exceeds a pre determined speed. In this manner when ever the speed for which the springs are set is exceeded the dogs Will be thrown outward by centrifugal force acting on the weights 16. This force will be sufficient to overcome the tension ofthe springs 17, and as the levers move outward they Will move the dogs outward.

Should a dog meet with an obstruction in the road as for instance a stone or the like the spring 29 may yield to prevent injury to the dog's. It will be obvious that the device may be adjusted to cause the dogs to extend at any particular rate of speed. The' dogs are limited in their outward move ment by steps 46. These stops may be ,oj t

any desired character, and are connected to -In Fig. 6 is shown a modified arrangement for simultaneously tensioning .the springs that hold the balls from outward movement. In this construction the disk 11 corresponding to the disk 11 has the lugs 20, through which are passed the eye bolts 50, to which the springs 17 connected with the levers 14, are connected, one end of each spring being connected to the lever and the other to the eye bolt.

The levers have the balls 16 corresponding to theballs 16, and each eye boltis provided with a nut 51 on the opposite side of the'lug from the lever, the nut being in the A circular head 54 is secured to one end of form of a bevel pinion. It will be under stood that each of the six eye bolts of the levers has a bevel pinion for the nut. All

of the pinions are engaged by a bevel gear wheel 52, which is detachably connected with a stem 53, journaled in the disk 11.

square portion the stem is reduced and threaded as indicated at 59, and is vengaged by a nut 60 to hold the thumb screw in place on the square portion.

In operation, when it is desired to vary the tension of the spring 17, it is only necessary to turn the stem 53 by means of the thumb screw. Since the bevel gear 52 engages all of the nuts 51, the nuts or the six ts will be simultaneously turned in the same direction to increase or decrease the tens1on of the springs 17 1. An attachment of the character specified, com rising a substantially cylindrical housing, ogs mounted for radial movement in the houslng, said housing having openings in its periphery to permit the dogs to be extended, means for limiting the movement of the dogs in both directions, levers pivoted to the housing and. extending inwardly, a lever being provided for each dog and the leversbeing' arranged in annular series concentric with the housing, each lever having'its outer end weighted, a lost motion connection between each'lever and the adjacent dog, a spring arranged between the dog and the lever and normally holding the lever at the inner end of the connection, said housing having means for limiting the inward swinging movement of the evers, a spring-normal y pressing each lever inward, means'for varying the tension of each of the last-named springs, and means for connectin the housmgto a wheel, said means comprising a laterally extending annular rib on weighted ends of the levers, said rib being adapted to fit the rim of the wheel and hav ing notches at the edge remote from the housing for receiving the spokes, a sectional ring adapted to fit the opposite. face of the wheel from the housing, the sections being detachable to permit the ring to be placed over the axle, means for connecting the sections, and eye bolts pivoted to the housing and adapted to extend transversely of the wheel between the spokes, the ring having its inner edge provided with bayonet slots for receiving the eye bolts, and nuts threaded on to the bolts.

2. An attachment of the character specified, comprising a substantially cylindrical housing, dogs mounted for radial movement wardly, a lever being provided for each dog a and the levers being arranged in annular series concentric with the. housing, each lever having its outerend weighted, a lost motion connection between each lever and the adjacent dog, a spring arranged between the dog and the lever and normally holding the lever at the inner .end of the connection, said housing hav' means for limiting the in ward swi ging movement of the levers, a spijng'normally pressing each lever inward,

,nfisans for varying the tension of each of the last-named springs, and means for connecting the'housing to a wheel.

3. An attachment of the character specified, comprising a housing of approximately cylindrical form, dogs movable radially of the housing, said housing having openings in its peripheral surface for permitting the ends of the dogs to be extended beyond the housing, means for limiting the movement of the dogs in both directions, a lever for each dog, said levers being arranged in an annular series concentric with the housing, each lever being pivoted to the housing and having a weight at its free end, resilient means normally pressing each lever inwardly, means for varying the tension of each of the said means, a connection between each lever and the adjacent dog for moving the said dog when the lever is moved, means for limiting the inward movement of the levers, and means for detachably connecting the housing to a wheel, the connection be.-

tween each lever and the adjacent dog being alost motion connection, and a spring arranged between the dog and the lever for permitting the dog to move inwardly with respect to the lever but normally holding the dog in outwardposition.

4. An attachment of the character specified, comprising-a housing of approximately cylindrical form, dogs movable radially of the housing, said housing having openings in its peripheral surface for permitting the ends of the dogs to be extended beyond the housing, means for limiting the movement of the dogs in both directions, a lever for each dog, said levers being arranged in an annular series concentric with the housing, each lever being pivoted to the housing and having a weight at its end, resilient means normally pressing each lever inwardl means for varying the tension of each of the said means, a connection between each lever and the adjacent dog for moving the said dog when the lever is moved, means for limiting the inward .movement of the levers, and means for detachably connecting the housing to a wheel.

5. An attachment of the character specified, comprising a housing of approximately cylindrical form, dogs movable radially of the housing, said housing having openings in its peripheral surface for permitting the ends of the dogs to be extended beyond the housing, a'lever for each dog, said levers being arranged in an annular series con centric with the housin each lever being pivoted to the housing, and having a vv'eight at its free end, resilient means normally pressing each lever inwardly, means for varying the tension of each of the said means, a connectionbetween each lever and the adjacent dog for moving the said dog when the lever is moved, means for limiting the inward movement of the levers, and means for detachably connecting the houring'to a wheel.

6. An attachment of thechai'acter specified, comprising a housing of approximately cylindrical form adapted to be secured to a vehicle wheel, dogs movable radially of the housing to a position within the. periphery of the wheel or beyond said periphery, the housing having o 'ienings in its periphery for permitting the extension of the dogs, a. weighted lever pivoted to the housing at the inner end of each lever and adapted to be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, and

tied, comprising a housing of a pproximatclv cylindrical form adapted to bcrsccured to a vehicle wheel, dogs movable radially of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eac1i,by addressing the Commissioner of housing to a position within the periphery of the Wheel or beyond said periphery, the housing having openings in its periphery for permitting the extension of the dogs, a weighted leverpivoted to the housing at the inner end of each lever and adapted to be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, and a connection between each lever and the adjacent dog, said connection being a lost motion connection, and yielding mechan sm for normally holding the dog in out 'ard position with respect to the lever.

8. An attachment or" the character specified, comprising a housing of approximately cylindrical form adapted to be secured to vehicle wheel, dogs movable radially of the housing to a position within the periph y of the wheel or beyond said periphery, housing having openings in its periphery for permitting the extension of the dogs, a weighted lever pivoted to the housing the inner end of each lever and adapted to be swung outwardly by centrifugal force, and a connection between each levenand the adjacent do.

9. An attachmcnt of the character speci lied, comprising a housing ol approximatel cylindrical form adapted to be secured to a vehicle wheel, dogs movable radially of mechanism connected with each dog and with the housing for moving the dog, said mechanism being ope 'ated by centrifugal t force, and resilient mechanism for pressing each dog inwardly, each of said mechanisms being adjustable.

1.0. An attachment of the character specified, comprising a housing of approximately cylindrical form adapted to be secured to a vehicle wheel, dogs movable radially of thehousing to a position within the periphery of the wheel or beyond said periphery, the housing having openin s in its peripl"? cry for permitting the extension of the dogs, mechanism connected with each dog and with. the housing for moving the dogs, said mechanism being operated by centrifugal force, resilient mechanism for pressing each dog inwardly. each of the said mechanisms being adjustable, and a common means engaging all of the said mechanisms for simultaneously adjusting the same.

-, FRANK RUDOLPH NYBEHG.

itnesses i W. J. JoHNs'roN, I. Mrnas.

Washington, D. C. 

